Center for Catholic Education

Faith, service & excellence through collaboration and innovation

The Center for Catholic Education at the University of Dayton promotes, enhances, energizes and supports Catholic schools. We are a nationally recognized leader in research and programming for Catholic schools, and we provide educators with programs and services that enhance the Church’s mission and foster excellence in Catholic schools.

Our staff delivers programs and services in a Catholic and Marianist spirit — to educate for formation in faith; to provide an integral quality education; to educate in family spirit; to educate for service, justice, and peace; and to educate for adaptation and change.

We are housed within the University of Dayton School of Education and Health Sciences and collaborate with colleagues at the university to share resources, talent and research best practices. We readily expand the scope of our service in response to the needs of Catholic education. We adhere steadfastly to our core values and beliefs while seeking to improve our connection with those who share our mission, including other areas of the University of Dayton, the Marianists, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and other universities.

The Center for Catholic Education grew out of a simple, but important, question: What can the University of Dayton and other Catholic universities do to help Catholic elementary and secondary schools? The Center has been working diligently to answer this question since it was founded in 1996.

The idea for the Center for Catholic Education came about when Dr. Theodore Wallace, then-president of Chaminade Julienne High School; and Clay Mathile, a local business leader, began exploring opportunities to improve the business and financial aspects of the Catholic high school’s operation. After these efforts brought great improvements in the CJ community, Wallace and Mathile sought to share their newfound wisdom with other Catholic schools through a practical cooperative effort. Soon, the idea for a Center for Catholic Education was hatched and proposed to Bro. Ray Fitz, S.M., then-president of the University of Dayton.

The idea caught on quickly with the support of friends in the school and wider Catholic community. The Center for Catholic Education began through the generosity of an anonymous, three-year, $1.2 million donation.